Annie Lennox- A Christmas Cornucopia

Last Christmas I featured Andrea Bocelli and his cd My Christmas. This Christmas I would like to introduce you to Annie Lennox and her new Christmas cd, A Christmas Cornucopia.

Annie Lennox is best known for being in the group Eurythmics with David Stewart in the '80's. Their biggest hits included, Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) and Walking on Broken Glass. Annie Lennox has had a solo career of some success as well.

I hadn't heard much of her myself, lately, until I walked into Starbucks and saw her new cd displayed by the register. I immediately bought it and have been listening to it in my car ever since. Annie has a unique voice which lends itself well to the carols she has chosen. I appreciate that she has chosen a list of songs not overly played at Christmas and included a new song she has written herself. The song was performed during American Idol Gives Back.

An interesting fact I learned while doing a little research for this post is Annie's birthday is on Christmas.

The playlist includes:

Angels From the Realm of Glory
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
See Amid the Winter's Snow
Il Est Ne Le Devin Enfant
The First Noel
Lullay Lullay (Coventry Carol)
The Holly and the Ivy
In the Bleak Midwinter
Oh Little Town of Bethlehem
As Joseph Was a Walking
Silent Night
Universal Child

As you can see the list is very unique, infact a few of the songs are unfamiliar to me and some I recognized once I heard them sung. Il Est Ne Le Divin Enfant was a blast from the past, I learned to play it on the recorder when I  was in fourth grade. :-)

Please enjoy the following videos and have a Merry Christmas.

Universal Child


God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen


Angels From the Realm of Glory

I am thankful for.......

I am thankful for...........

• dishwashers
• vodka
• spatulas
• friends
• Kitchen Aide mixer
• twitter
• remote controls
• have I mentioned vodka
• chocolate
• Christmas

And what are you thankful for.....

I'm planning my New Years....

Is it too early to be contemplating my New Year's resolutions?  I don't usually place too much stock in them since I break them as I soon as I make them. This year will be different. ....... You can stop laughing now.

Resolutions I have been considering are:

• trying to keep up with household chores [dusting in particular]
• declutter the drawers and closets
• organize, one room at a time [see above]
• be nicer, happier
• lose another 50 pounds
• save some money
• cook more, go out to eat less [see above]
• [go ahead you can all laugh again]
• be a better blogger [read and comment more often]
• read more books

What are your resolutions?

picture credit

I am an honorary Masshole today

 

I haven't had much to blog about lately but I did manage to come up with a guest post.... go figure.

Now go visit Masshole Mommy and read my poem.... we have something in common.

Watch what you wish for.....

You may remember this post.. I want to have another mans baby, if not, go have a gander. It has adorable cute baby pictures you'll love.

Well my desire hasn't gotten any better, I still want his baby and he still keeps saying no. *insert sad face* and it's all his wife's fault. She posted the cutest picture of Addison the other day and I melted. How can anyone resist that face, that smile.

[click on picture to enlarge-in fact I insist on it]

I met Adam through his blog Throwing Quarters and we became fast friends via twitter. I have been out to Cleveland twice and met him and his wife Jenn and their older daughter Audrey. They are truly lovely people. Of course I got to spend time with little Addison and I and my daughters feel in love with her. We wanted to take her home but alas they said no. [I even offered, in fact insisted, on giving her back when she was 12] No dice.

So I put this cute picture on my desktop and my daughters said, "hey Mom, what about us" I said. "you're big kids" [cute of course but not baby cute], I said I would change it when I had a cuter baby to put up in her place..... My youngest [who is 16] said, "are you encouraging me to get pregnant?" "of course not" I said, The oldest [who is 21] just rolled her eyes and asked if it was ok if she got married first.

Now I imagine I will replace the picture long before I become a grandmother but for now the picture makes me smile. You couldn't have posed that picture if you wanted too. Her mother tells me it is now a favorite place for her to hang out. [I wonder how long the bulbs last]

Sooooo if one of my daughters ends up on that show "16 [or so] and Pregnant" I guess I have no one to blame but myself.

What would you do?

 

I have recently been contacted by someone from my very very distant past and I am not sure what to do. Let me give you the back story.

My father was a career man in the US Air Force and we traveled around a lot. One of the places we stayed was in a VERY small town in the upper peninsula of Michigan. It was way up by the Canadian border. The town was so small......... how small was it you ask? It was so small there was one street that ran down the middle. It had one gas station, one small store and a one room school.  Well two actually but one teacher taught Kindergarten through third grade in one room and the other teacher taught forth grade through sixth in the other. After sixth you were bussed off the high school. At the time it seemed a million years in the future.  [there was even a creepy over grown house that had a witch and to this day you can't convince me otherwise]

Anyway, this boy and I lived across the street from each other and became instant best friends. We did everything together. We had sleep overs, adventures in the fields around the house and basically ran wild in this little town. We even had the mumps together. We started kindergarten together. I don't think we even realized we were of the opposite sex. [we did eventually though and Mom you may want to skip this part, but in the dinning room once we did the "you show me and I'll show you" deal. We did and that was it... no more curiosity]

So as it always happened we moved away when Dad was shipped off to England for a second tour. I said good bye to my best friend and that was the end of it.... except around eighth grade he started writing to me and even send me some pictures and a ring. I never wrote back. Now via classmates.com he has looked me up. He obviously remembered my maiden name and where I went to high school. He even left a message.... I was very surprised to say the least.

A friend of mine told me to write back, my mom told me to write back, but I wasn't sure.. it all seemed so long ago to me. My parents are lucky I email Them when they are away.... He can't find me on Facebook because I don't use my real name...


What would you do?

PS. I have written back.

It's Wednesday and.........

It's Wednesday and I haven't blogged in almost a week. Seems odd, but I haven't much to say lately. I guess I'm just in a rut. I've done pretty well on my Christmas shopping, still lots to do but at least I have some ideas what to get as gifts. I don't like buying just to buy but that's what happens in the end....sometimes.

I have lots of baking to get too. I did a good job last year getting it all done and mailed..was quite pleased with myself. Here are some pictures of last years accomplishments. Baking Part 1 and Baking Part 2. They were all very delicious if I do say so myself. I am going to try some news ones this year.

The tree is still in the attic, but will come down stairs soon-ish. The living room needs some tidying up before we inundate it with boxes of ornaments. I do enjoy the tree with all its sparkling lights and decorations but by New Years I am ready to put it away until next year.

The diet is pretty much at a stand still, I'm not gaining but I'm not losing so I guess I should be happy with that. If I survive the holidays without gaining any weight I will be happy. I am still going to the gym as much as I can so that should keep the pounds away.... I hope. Cookies are a huge temptation for me, and the Hershey Kisses aren't helping me either.

I have been perusing the blogs on my reading list but being busy leaves me little time...and I assume the rest of you are busy too.. [and me not blogging as much is giving you all a break to catch up :-) ]

What have the rest of you been up to?
What are your weaknesses during the holiday season?